Step away from the scrapbooking aisle!
You don’t need those over-priced, store-bought supplies, not when you can make your own so easily, and from eco-friendly materials, too.
Here are scrapbook supplies that you can make yourself:
1. aged paper. Antique paper with coffee.
2. alcohol ink. This is easy to make from old markers.
3. aluminum foil rickrack. It makes good page borders.
4. beads. Make them from recycled paper, and string them across an album page.
5. beeswax paper. It’s a natural way to preserve paper.
6. book album pages. The print in books makes a fascinating background to whatever you want to add; include the entire book page in your scrapbook, or cut it down and glue it to an existing page.
7. bookmark. Stash ribbon and hot glue are all you need to add a moveable bookmark to your scrapbook.
8. bows. The only supplies that you need are paperclips, paper, and glue.
9. buttons. Make your own buttons from eco-friendly materials.
10. cardboard album page. Cardboard has an interesting texture, and is sturdy enough to support a lot of creative embellishing.
11. credit card mosaic. Cut up your credit cards into small pieces, then mosaic a colorful frame around a photo in your scrapbook.
12. embroidered map. Don’t throw out the map that you used on your last vacation! Do this, then add it to your vacation scrapbook.
13. envelope album. Use this to store loose memorabilia.
14. glitter. Did you know that you can make your own glitter? You can!
15. grocery bag scrapbook. This scrapbook is perfect for documenting occasions, and makes a great kid’s scrapbook.
16. manila file folder album. You don’t still use hanging files, do you? Give your unused manila file folders a new life!
17. paper buttons. Stack cardstock-weight paper to make custom buttons.
18. paper sewing. Stitch directly onto paper to create your own embellishments.
19. shipping box album. The next box that comes to your door is your next photo album.
20. soda can embellishments. You can put pieces cut from soda cans into most die-cutting machines.
21. stamps. Carving your own stamp lets you avoid a trip to the store!
22. stencils. You can make re-usable stencils using playing cards.
23. stickers. Images from vintage books, comic books, or magazines make great stickers. you can also make washi-style stickers using stash fabric or paper and double-sided tape.
24. wax seals. Use your stamps not with ink, but with melted crayon!
25. wood block printing. Your kid’s vintage alphabet blocks are good for more than just learning the abc’s.
[scrapbook image via Shutterstock]